Mexico has dropped a couple of places in a quality-of-life ranking by expatriates but is still No. 4 in the world.

The annual Expat Insider survey by InterNations, a network and guide for expatriates, found that 91% of expats in Mexico are generally satisfied with life.

For the third year in a row Mexico placed first for ease of settling in, and also scored well in subcategories such as Finding Friends, where it came first, and Feeling Welcome, placing second.

More than four in five expats in Mexico feel at home with the local culture and 53% of respondents rated friendliness of the population as very good, compared to just 26% globally.

Communication is not an issue for many, despite a language barrier: 63% agreed it was easy to learn Spanish.

Not surprisingly, personal safety was a concern for many. Forty-two per cent said they felt it was a potential disadvantage in moving to Mexico compared to the global average of only 11%.

For many, however, security concerns lessened after making the move. Fewer than one in five had a negative response about security.

Expats were happier about finances and the cost of living. Mexico ranks eighth and fifth respectively on the Personal Finance and Cost of Living indexes and its expats are twice as likely to say they are completely satisfied with their financial situation.

Worldwide, 36% of expats say the cost of housing is bad, but in Mexico the percentage is just 8%.

Mexico ranks well for family life but the quality of education was rated by 13% as very bad compared to 3% globally. Children’s safety was another concern.

Thirty per cent of Mexico respondents were retired and 40% said they intend to stay in the country for the rest of their lives. Their average age was 50.6.

The survey results are based on feedback from 14,000 respondents who offered their say on moving, living and working abroad in 67 countries.

Taiwan was ranked No. 1, Malta second and Ecuador third. At the bottom of the index was Kuwait, followed by Greece, Nigeria, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.